President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he wanted to meet with former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario to personally ask him about his claim that China interfered in the 2016 presidential elections to get Duterte elected.
Duterte said he won by 6 million votes against his closest rival, former Interior secretary Mar Roxas in the 2016 presidential race.
“You kept on talking that China help me, where did you get that? Can you get 16 million votes from another nation? Mine was… 6 million [votes] over your friend,” Duterte said in Filipino during his Talk to the People at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City.
"I want to see you personally. Where can I meet you?" Duterte said.
"Try conveying to me the message where I can find you and I'll go to you,” he said, addressing Del Rosario.
Duterte said he wanted to talk to “some people” in Washington to find out whether del Rosario ordered the withdrawal of Philippine ships from Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea during a standoff with China in 2012.
“You know, we are still investigating it,” he said, adding that he would have charges filed against the former secretary if any wrongdoing was found.
Responding to Duterte’s latest tirade, Del Rosario issued a one-sentence statement.
“For this coming election, our humble view is that our people should vote for the candidate who is good for our country — and not one who is good for China,” he said.